The Childs Portion, Sermon 1 (2 of 3)

The Childs Portion · Sermon 1 (2 of 3)

p. 49Conſider,

1. Have you not a Father in heaven, and will he not take care of you, or can he not ſupply you? What is it ſhould give you reaſon to doubt of it? Doth he not take care for things of leſs value? Be often propounding that queſtion to your ſelves, Job. 38. ult. Who provideth for the Raven his food? Doth not God cloath the Lillies? Do not all eyes wait for him, and p. 50he gives them their meat in due ſeaſon? Are not the meaneſt creatures in his family well provided for? And can a Child be neglected? Are not the Lillies gorgiouſly decked by him, and do not we ſee the Fowles of the air get a living? God doth all this for them, it is his love and care, and doth he not love you better? Such thoughts as theſe ſhould quicken our Faith from day to day.

2. Have you not enough to live on? If not, I wiſh then that you had: Have you not Eſtates enough to maintein you? Is there not enough in heaven and earth to ſupply the wants of one poor creature? what if this earth ſhould fail, and all theſe lower ſprings ſhould be dryed up (and indeed they may ſo do, for theſe are waters that ſometimes fail) yet ſtill there is enough to be had in heaven: Is not an Almighty God ſufficient to be your portion? Well then, draw up this concluſion with yourſelves, if this World will afford me nothing, if I can get no relief here below, yet I will go to heaven for it, and as long as my God and Father is there, I will not diſpair.

3. When you find in your ſelves an impotency, to the performance of your duty, in ſerving of God: Your knees are feeble, and your hands hang down, and you feel your ſelves ready to faint in the work of God which you are called …; now gather ſtrength again by muſing upon p. 51this: I can do nothing of my ſelf, yet I will go to him, and he ſhall do all for me, I will wait upon him, and he ſhall worke all my works in me. I cannot Pray as I ought, but he ſhall help all my infirmities, he ſhal make requeſts in me, form Petitions for me, and fill the Sails of my Soul with his heavenly Gales; and my deſires, though in themſelves they are low and dull, ſhal (by his mighty aſſiſtance) be waſted along to Heaven with the ſtiff Gales of ſighs and groans that cannot be uttered: I fall ſho…t in duty, and there is ſin and imperfection in every ſervice which I ſet my ſelf about; but his work in me ſhal give my poor (but ſincere) performances acceptance with God: Yea, I am a Child, and therefore my weak, but true endeavours ſhal never be deſpiſed by a Father whoſe love can over all my frailties.

4. When your Sins appear before you with a terrible aſpect, and Satan would make you affraid to come before God by reaſon of them: When he repreſents him to your thoughts as a conſuming fire, as appearing in his wrath and diſpleaſure, and would perſwade you to believe there is no favour for you, that ſuch ſins, and ſo circumſtanced as yours are, will find no remiſſion: Now reflect; but am I not ſtill a Child? and if ſo, then I am ſure, that though he correct me (and I deſerve it, nor will I refuſe to ſubmit my ſelf patiently unto it) yet he cannot p. 52take away his loving kindneſs from me: I will therefore appear before him, and take the blame and ſhame of my ſins upon my ſelf, and if he be angry, I will bear it becauſe I have ſinned: I will yeild my ſelf to his pleaſure, and receive his ſtroaks, and I know they ſhal be wounds which ſhal not kill, but heal my Soul: I will confeſs (and not cover) my ſins, and ſo ly down before him, and let him ſay what he will unto me, I will ſtill ſay, good is the word of the Lord, and if he be wroth with me for a little ſeaſon, I will wait till it be overpaſt, becauſe I know aſſuredly that his love to me ſhal endure for ever.

5. When you are ſtrongly oppreſſed with the ſlaviſh fear of Death: When the fore thoughts of your going out of this world are diſtreſſing thoughts to your mind; eſpecially being (either by gray hairs, thoſe Bloſſoms of the Grave, or by pining ſickneſſes, &c. by the dangers of troubleſome times growing) warned of the probable nearneſs and approach of it, and you are hereby put out of frame, and greatly hurried and diſquieted in your ſpirits; think now and meditate: But was ever a Child unwilling to go home, eſpecially where he knew that he ſhould have all things according to his hearts deſire, and was at preſent under manifold troubleſome exerciſes? Is reſt a thing ſo unwelcome or ungrateful to the weary man? why then ſhould I ſhrink from p. 53it? Did not my deareſt Saviour comfort himſelf with this thought, when he drew near to a moſt cruel and bitter Death, yet he was going to his Father, and my Father? And am I unwilling to go to my Fathers Houſe, to that Pallace and Court, where I (who have been a ſtranger all this while in a ſtrange Country, going under a diſguiſe, ſo as the World I live in knows me not, and therefore deſpiſeth and perſecuteth me) ſhall be ſet forth and adorned like the Child of a King? And what! Is it a thing ſo hard to bear, and that which ſhould make me to draw back and fly from it? is to be ſtript out of theſe rags of mortality, this dirty defiled garment of fleſh, and to receive in exchange for it thoſe Princely Robes of Glory, and be made to appear in ſuch Oriency and ſplendor, as will out-ſhine the light of the Sun in the firmament? And is this the thing I am ſo much afraid of? Is it this at which my thoughts do ſo much, ſtart and give back? No, no, I will not fear, but make all the haſt I can that I may in due ſeaſon finiſh my work, and go home: The World is weary of me, and would gladly part with me; and I am as weary of it, and as willing to leave it▪ And were it not that I have a little work to do for the glory of my God and Father here, I could be content forthwith to be gone: However, I am willing to tarry on his buſineſs, but when my Father ſhal pleaſe to call, I will ſay, p. 54Lord, here am I; and in the mean while, I will wait till my chang comes.

5. Be alwayes comforting of your ſelves with the thoughts of your Adoption: Draw your comforts at this Tap, fetch your Conſolations from this relation; be therefore often chewing upon the precious priviledges of it, and make them your rejoycing. Hence,

1. Let this joy out-ſtrip the verdure of every other joy, let all earthly delights and pleaſures, as it were wither before it: There are many things in which it is lawful to take ſome content, many things which God hath appointed to give us ſome comfort in this life, but all theſe delights ſhould like ſtarrs diſappear before this Sun, Luk. …0. 20. In this rejoyce not, that the ſpirits are ſub…ct to you, but rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven. Count all other things comparatively not deſerving the boaſting of, Pſal. 4. 7.

2. Let this joy diſpel the miſts of every ſorrow, and clear up your ſouls in the midſt of all troubles and difficulties. With it David labours to get his heart up, Pſal. 42. ult. Dwel therefore much upon theſe thoughts; who it is that hath owned you for his Child? The great God: What he hath done for you, viz. Taken you under his care, given you his Spirit, ſet you a… liberty from thraldome, confirmed you in a title to all his good things, beſtowed upon you a p. 55Royal Guard of glorious Angels: And what he intends to do, having aſſured you of it by promiſe, and will ere long accompliſh it: Live in the midſt of your Priviledges and Dignities, and be ſucking the ſweet out of them. Live above the World, above ſin, above life, above Death, let nothing terrifie you, nothing perplex nor ſtumble you, you are Children, and then Heirs, and then you may well reckon all ſufferings as inconſiderable things, and triumphantly wait, and joyfully look for the manifeſtation of the Children of God, who, when they ſhal be brought forth in their Royalty, at the ſecond coming of Chriſt, ſhal be the wonder and aſtoniſhment of Angels, wicked Men, and Devils.

And it doth not yet appear what we ſhall be.

Our Apoſtle having thus encouraged thoſe unto whom he writes, to conſtancy in their Faith, and to ſtand it out in oppoſition unto Antichriſt, and all the ſeductions of ſuch as would pervert them, and that by the conſideration of their ſonſhip, and the Glorious dignity of it, and laboured to perſwade them in the belief of the verity of it, by a bold and confident concluſion, aſſerting it to be ſo; In theſe and the remaining words of the Verſ. he obviates an… objection, which the Children of God may be … p. 56ready, in an hour of Temptation, to raiſe, viz. If we are Sons, as you ſay we be, how comes it to paſs then that we are ſo treated in the world, and that God ſeems to take ſo little care of us? that our outward condition here is not better, but rather much worſe, than the condition of other men? We are perſecuted, reviled, trodden upon, and our ſpiritual condition alſo is full of trouble and Temptation, as if God did not regard us at all: We are outwardly mean and ſorrowful, and inwardly moleſted; and is this the way in which God is wont to treat his Children? If we are his Sons, he ſeems to deal better with his enemies than with his Sons: Thus we find Aſaph was once tempted, Pſal. 73. Thus Rebeckah, when the Children ſtrugled in her womb, was ready to ſay, If the Lord be with me, why is it thus? That he may either prevent or remove this difficulty, the Apoſtle layes down two concluſions.

1. That the time is not as yet come, for the manifeſtation of that happineſs whereof they are the undoubted Heirs

2. He declares what their glorious eſtate ſhal be when that time doth come.

It is the firſt of theſe we have under our preſent conſideration. Theſe words relate to the foregoing by way of Prolepſis, and hence the copulative [And] is put for the exceptive [but] …s is frequent in that Language: The words p. 57are a general aſ…tion, wherein two things are obſervable.

1. The ſubject, or that of which the aſſertion is, What we ſhall be: By the which he intends that happineſs and Glory to which the ſons of God are appointed; their future felicity.

2. The Predicate, or that which is aſſerted concerning it, viz. It doth not yet appear. The Propoſition is limited in reſpect of time, but unlimited in reſpect of perſons.

1. In reſpect of time, it is reſtrained to the preſent, Not yet, q. d. There is a little time in which me muſt be content to paſs in a diſguiſe, and not look like our ſelves, but it will not be long: The word [foreign] is uſed only to expreſs ſome ſmal inconſiderable particle of time, or delay: And when he ſaith, Not yet, he withal inſinuates that it will not be long: It is but during the time that the life laſts, and when that comes to an end there will be a beginning of that diſcovery, and in the laſt day a full and perfect.

2. In reſpect of Perſons, it is unreſtrained, he doth not ſay to whom it doth not appear, but only in general affirms, that it appears not. Indefinit propoſitions are equivalent to univerſal. Hence we are to underſtand all men to be here …nded: and the word tranſlated, to appear [foreign] ſignifyeth, clearly, openly, permenently to appear, to be diſcerned or ſeen in open view

p. 58Hence,

Doct. The future happy Eſtate unto which the Children of God are appointed, is a thing not clearly known by any in this Life.

Thoſe Glorious Beatitudes, which are bound up and reſerved for the entertainment of God's Adopted Children in the higheſt Heavens, are things which be not clearly ſeen or underſtood in this World.

In the proſecution of this Doctrine, we may firſt attend the Demonſtration of it, and then conſider the Grounds,

1. By way of Evidence or Demonſtration: The Truth may be underſtood and cleared by an induction of particulars; And that.

1. Negatively; And here,

1. This Indefinit doth not comprehend God under it: For he throughly and perfectly knows what his own thoughts of love and good▪ wil are to his Children: He hath predeſtinated them to their inheritance, and laid out in his everlaſting Decree what their portion ſhal be, Eph. 1. 11, In whom we have obtained an inheritance being predeſtinated, &c. God cannot be ignorant of his own Counſels, which, have been manifeſtly known to him from all eternity, Acts▪ …. 18, Known unto God are all his works from the foundation of the World. He knows what his own p. 59thoughts are, &c. Thoſe thoughts of peace which he hath for his People, Jer. 29. 11. Theſe things are not under debate with him who is for ever unchangeable.

2. Neither doth Jeſus Chriſt come under the Negative: our glorified Redeemer hath a full and thorough view of all thoſe happineſſes which his Redeemed are to partake in: He knows what it is that he hath purchaſed and paid for with his own Blood; it is called the purchaſed Poſſeſſion: And wiſe men do not wont to buy and pay at peradventure: Nay, he muſt needs know it▪ For,

1. He hath taken poſſeſſion of it: He is entered into Glory, he is exalted into the Throne, and enjoyeth thoſe fulneſs of joyes, and thoſe Rivers of pleaſures, Heb. 12. 2. And it is the very ſame Glory which he now hath, unto which the Children of God ſhal ere long be brought, Joh. 17. 22. The Glory which thou gaveſt me, I have given them.

2. He is gone before to make ready the place of Glory, and prepare for the entertainment of his People, Joh. 14. begin. It is one part of his Meditorial inployment, now he is aſſcended into Heaven, to be making all ready for the Children of God againſt they come there: And how can he make ready except he knows what it is that he hath to prepare for them?

2. Dubiouſly, and that with reſpect.

p. 601. To the bleſſed Angels: How far forth God is pleaſed to reveal this to them, who are miniſtring ſpirits for the carrying on of this work, is not to us known; or, wherein their Glory, and the glory of Saints agree, and wherein they differ, is not within our ken: It is certain, that mans Salvation by Chriſt, was once to them a miſterious truth, and they have been gazing upon it with deepeſt admiration: Yet doubtleſs they know a great deal of this matter.

2. To the Souls of Juſt men made perfect: They are now indeed Comprehenſors, and know well enough the happineſs they are in poſſeſſion of, but what diſcerning or comprehenſion have they of thoſe complements of Glory, which in the Reſurrection, and after the Day of Judgement ſhal be added to them, we cannot tell: The words after my text ſeem to ſpeak of the laſt day, as being a day of ſome peculiar diſcovery: We muſt therefore for the preſent leave theſe two and ſay nothing definitely of them.

3. Poſitively, and here we may truely affirm, and make it appear, that,

1. None of the Devils know; it doth not appear to them what the Sons of God ſhal be: They may indeed give ſhreud ghueſſes, and underſtand that it ſhal be very great: For, being created in the third Heaven, and having ſeen the Glory of it, they muſt needs know that the People of God, in ſo far as they are appointed p. 61for the place, will be wondrouſly glorious; and their knowing of ſo much of it, makes them ſo extreamly envious at them and their happineſs: But ſtill, after what manner the Bride, the Lambs Wife, ſhal be entertained in the great day, when the marriage ſhal be conſummate, & he ſhal carry her home to his own Pallace, they cannot tell, the Angels of Glory cannot know it, but by relation, and we cannot ſuppoſe that God will make ſpecial diſcoveries now to the Devils: They may remember what the place was by Creation, but what it ſhal be when Chriſt hath further prepared it, is not for them to underſtand.

2. It doth not appear to wicked men, what the Sons of God ſhal be: The World are ſtrangers, and intermeddle not with their joy: The truth is, the World are ſo far from knowing what they ſhal be, that they do not know what they are at preſent: There are Inchoate felicitys which the Saints have in this life, which unregenerate men have no notice, or cognizance of▪ they have their feaſts, their joyes, their conſolations, their boaſtings, that are riddles to the ungodly: They know not what the countrey feaſt of a good Conſcience means, how then ſhould they underſtand what are the Proviſions of the Kingdom of Glory? The Children of God have their joyes and raviſhments here, and theſe ſtrangers have no acquaintance with them. p. 62Sound Divines interpret that, 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not ſeen, &c. To be meant of theſe, and that it is ſpoken, concerning ungodly men is evident, becauſe he excepts Believers, verſ. 10. But God hath rovealed them to us by his Spirit. Thoſe ſmiles of God's Countenance, thoſe inward ſupports of heart, that ſweet communion which their Souls have with God in an Ordinance, in hearing the Word, at a Sacrament, in their Cloſets, on their knees powring out of their Prayers and tears into the boſom of their Father: Thoſe holy tranſports are riddles, and matters of laughter and ſcorn to them, and if they know not what is, how ſhould they underſtand that which is to come?

3. The Children of God themſelves whiles they are here, do not fully know what they ſhal be, it doth not yet appear to them:

It is true,

1. The Word of God hath ſaid a great deal concerning their future Glory. There are many high and towring expreſſions, to our apprehenſion, uſed in the Scripture, worthy deſcriptions of that great City and the Inhabitants of it, and if we would ſtudy the Scripture more we might know more of it: But yet when we arrive at the Kingdom and come once to ſee, and view, and experience it, we ſhal ſay as the Queen Sheba to Solomon, 1 King. 10. 6, 7.

2. The People of God have their ſips and foretaſtes, p. 63and firſt fruits of this Glory here: They are made to taſt of thoſe Graps of which the Wine is made in Canaan: They have not only their aſſurances, but alſo ſometimes their extaſies: They are taken into the Mount, rapt up into the third Heaven, their ſouls are lifted up aboue the world, and all that is in it. God is pleaſed at ſome times to carry them out ſo farr in their meditations, and reveal ſo much of himſelf and his infinit love to their contemplation, that they are loth to come down, or to have any thing more to do with the ſink and puddle of this world: They know ſo much of that after ſtate,, that when they are under theſe precious diſcoveries, and the irradiations of the ſpirit of God upon their ſouls, they cry out, Who will give me the wings of a Dove, that I might mount up and be▪ gone: And with Paul their hearts are carried forth with a longing deſire to depart and be with him in full poſſeſſion of all this Glory: But,

3. A full, clear, and manifeſt diſcovery of their happineſs, is not made to any of God's People here: They that have ſeen moſt of heaven, while upon this earth, have ſeen it but … Landskip: They that have had the moſt raviſhing taſts of the love of God, have but imperfectly taſted it: All our knowledge, all our ſight here is but in part, 1 Cor. 13. 9. We know but in part. That which is p…fect is yet to come, p. 64verſ. 10. The are but dawnings at the moſt which we have here: what thoſe rayes will be, which ſhal beam forth from the Sun of Righteouſneſs, in the mid-day ſplendour of Celeſtial Glory, we now cannot tell, but muſt be content to wait till we go thither where it is to be ſeen and enjoyed.

2. For the ground of the Doctrine, or reaſon why it doth not yet appear.

1. God makes it not known to the ungodly,

1. Leſt they ſhould be allured by it: All which they hear and enjoy here muſt therefore be Aenigmatical or obſcure to them, leſt they ſhould be converted; it is an awful word, but Chriſt himſelf hath ſpoken it, who knew his Fathers, and his own mind and purpoſe, Mar. 4. 11. 12. To them that are without theſe things are done in parables, &c. Leſt at any time they ſhould be Converted.

2. That they may by Perſecutions and oppoſitions try the Graces of his Children: There is great uſe and fruit in this tryal, it is more precious than that of Gold: And God is pleaſed to uſe wicked men as inſtruments of the tryal: And hence they ſhall not know who theſe be, nor what their Glory is; for if they did, they would without doubt ſuſpend, if not in love, yet in fear of them: Chriſt himſelf muſt come in a diſguiſe that ſo the determined Counſel of God might be fulfilled i… him: 1. Cor. 2. 7, 8. They p. 65would elſe never have Crucified him.

2. The reaſon alſo why the People of God themſelves have no comprehenſive diſcovery of their own future eſtate,

1. Becauſe it is too big a ſight for their weak eyes to gaze upon: They muſt be prepared for their Glory, as well as their Glory for them, or elſe it would ſwallow them up, Rom. 9. 23.

Hence,

When Chriſt is upon the one work in Heaven, the Spirit of Chriſt is on the other here. Should a full deſcription of that ſtate be given us, it muſt be in a Language which we underſtand not. They are but dark ſimilitudes, dim and▪ dull compariſons, accommodated to our own weak capacity, which the Scripture affords: The words which Paul then heard, when he was in the third Heaven, were ineffable words, and ſuch as were not lawful to utter, 2 Cor. 12. 4. Not unlawful, becauſe forbidden by any precept, but becauſe they did out-bid his ability. If the Glory to be revealed, ſhould now be revealed to us in this our imperfect ſtate, it would over oppreſs and ſink us.

2. That they may with more patience abide the time allotted then here, and ſerve there Generation in the doing of that work which God hath ſet out for them to do before they go to be poſſeſſed of this Glory. We find, that after St. Paul's rapture, he had great wreſtlings with p. 66his own ſpirit, and much ado to keep up in himſelf a willingneſs to tarry here any longer, Phil. 1. 21. I am in a ſtrait, between two, Having a deſire to depart: And ſuch have been the frames of God's dear Children, after that they have had ſome extraordinary beamings of his love, and been feaſted by him with ſome ſpecial viſits, they have been long ere they could quiet themſelves from longing and praying, that the Chain might be cut, and they might hoiſe Sail and be gone: Might the Saints be permitted to know here, as much as ſhall be known hereafter, it would be harder perſwading them to be willing to live, than it is now to make them willing to dy.

USE, I. For informations learn we from Hence,

1. The reaſon why the Children of God are ſo little regarded here in the World; it is becauſe the World knows not who they are, nor what they are born unto: Their great Glory for the preſent is within; outwardly they look like other men, they eat, drink, labour, converſe in earthly imployments, as others do; the communion which they have with God in all of theſe, is a ſecret thing: They are Sick, Poor, Naked, Diſtreſſed like other men; thoſe in ward ſupports which they have under all thoſe exerciſes, are remote from publick view: They dy▪ and are buried under the Clods, and their bodyes p. 67putrifie and rot like other men; and none ſee thoſe joyes that their ſouls are entred into, nor that guard of Angels which comes as a Convoy, and carryes them into Abraham's boſom: Na…, they have their ſins, their ſpots, their imperfections and weakneſſes here, as well as other men; but their tears, repentance, ſecret mournings, and renewals of Faith, and reſtorings to peace and ſoul-comfort, are ſecret.

And hence,

Though the Righteous Man be indeed ſurpaſſingly more excellent than his neighbour, yet is he not thought ſo to be: Whereas, did the World ſee and underſtand, whoſe ſons they are, what inheritances▪ th… are the undoubted heirs of, and what are thoſe Gloryes they ſhall ere long be made to poſſeſs, it would alter their opinion, and make them afraid of them, and not dare to do them any wrong. How fearful was Abimelech of Abraham, when God did but tell him he was a Prophet? Gen. 20. 7, 8.

2. Here we ſee the reaſon why the People of God are often ſo doubtful, diſquiet, diſcontent, and afraid to dy (I put things together) The ground of all this is becauſe they do not as yet ſee clearly what they ſhall be: It would be a matter of juſt wonderment to ſee the Children of God ſo eaſily and often ſhaken, ſo diſturbed and perplexed in hours of Temptation, were it not from the conſideration▪ that they at preſent p. 68know ſo little of themſelves or their happineſs: Sometimes their ſonſhip it ſelf doth not appear to them, but they are in the dark, at a loſs about the evidencing of it to the ſatisfaction of their own minds; and from hence it is that many doubtings ariſe, and their ſouls are diſquieted. Sometimes their preſent ſufferings look bigger in their thoughts, than the conceptions or apprehenſions which they entertain of their future Glory, theſe things being near, and the other looked on at a diſtance, and hence they out-weigh, in their raſh judgements, and now they are diſquiet and diſcontent, and ſay with him, … 7…. 13. I have cleanſed my heart in vain, and … my hands in innocency▪ And uſually in … good frames, they apprehend more of the ſweetneſs of preſent Communion with God in his Ordinances, than of that bleſſed immediate communion in Glory; and this makes them, with good Hezekiah, to turn away their faces from the meſſages of death and change: All theſe things are arguments of the weak ſight and dark thoughts which we here have of the things of another world: which yet, it is the holy pleaſure of God, that it ſhall be ſo a while, for the advancing of his own ends in his Saints.

3. Learn hence a reaſon why the preſent ſufferings of God's Children can neither argue againſt, nor yet prejudice their felicity: for the p. 69time is not yet come wherein they are to appear like themſelves: Joſeph's priſoned condition, and priſon robes ſet him never the further off from his preferment in Pharaoh's Court; but were indeed the very harbingers of it: When the appointed time for the manifeſtation of the Sons of God ſhall come, he can fetch them out in haſt, change them in the twinkling of an eye, and cloath them upon with all that excellency and ſplendid Glory, whereby, they who were but the other day lying among the pots, ſhall with their dazling luſtre outſhine the Sun in the Firmament. It is the Almighty's good pleaſure, that their life, for the preſent, ſhould be hid with Chriſt in God: But yet he hath his time, and will take …is opportunity to reveal and make it known.

4. This teacheth us that the Glory of the ſons of God muſt needs be wonderfully and aſtoniſhingly great: For why? Have they not already in hand, that which ſurpaſſes the knowledge of all the world, and which is in value tranſcendently more worth than all the Crowns and Kingdoms, and Gloryes of it? Do they not live upon, and ſatisfie their ſouls with marrow and fatneſs here, Pſal. 63. 5. Are they not here repleniſhed with the fatneſs of God's houſe? Pſal. 36. 8. Who, but he that enjoys it, can declare what an happineſs it is to enjoy peace with God, and fellowſhip with Chriſt, aſſurance of his love, p. 70and conſolation of his ſpirit? Who, but he that hath felt it, can tell what it is to have the love of God ſhed abroad in his heart, and in his Soul to hear the ſweet voice of Pardon, and promiſes of Glory? to ly all night in the boſom of Chriſt, and have his left hand underneath his head, and his right hand imbracing of him? And yet he that knows all this doth not know what he ſhall be▪ Theſe are but the diſplayes of the outward Temple, or holy place; what then is to be ſeen in the holy of Holies? Theſe are but drops, and rivulets which come in Pipes, and in little portions; how glorious a thing then muſt it needs be to dwel at the fountain, and ſwim for ever in thoſe bankleſs, and bottomleſs Oceans of Glory? How happy then are the dead in Chriſt, who are now ſeeing, taſting, knowing and experiencing theſe things?

USE, II. For Exhortation, learn we hence.

1. Not to judge of our ſelves, or of our own ſtate by our preſent ſenſe: It is the delight of Satan to be keeping the thoughts of the Children of God looking, and poring upon their preſent ſinful and ſorrowful condition, that they may be held under diſcouragement by thinking themſelves miſerable, but we live by hope, and Hope that is ſeen is not hope, Rom. 8. 24. As often then as your ſenſe would diſhearten you, now betake your ſelves to, and ſtirr up your Faith; ſet your ſelves to meditate upon the unknown p. 71Gloryes which are coming; and think them not leſs but greater, becauſe they appear not; this being one main reaſon why they do not as yet appear, becauſe they are too big for our preſent comprehenſion.

2. Think it not hard that God ſhould call you to … ſufferings for his Name, but let the conſideration of that unſeen Glory that is a coming, arme and animate you for whatſoever Dayes of trouble you may have good reaſon to think are not afarr off, that when they do come, they may not be burdenſome, but may weigh light: Learn therefore of Paul, to place the ſcales right, that you may be able to draw the ſame concluſion which he doth, when you come to weigh your future felicities, that you have in hope, againſt all the preſent ſorrows and ſufferings you are at the preſent undergoing for Chriſt, 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18.

3. Wait patiently for your Glory: though you do not now enjoy it, no nor make a full and through diſcovery of it at the preſent, yet be patient and wait, and you have thoſe encouragements ſo to do.

1. The time is not long: It is but when he ſhall appear, Context. There is a little work for you to do for God here, and then the reward: And as you have need of patience for this, that when you have done the will of God you may receive the reward, Heb. 10. 36. So there is this given p. 72to animate you in the chearful exerciſe of it, that it is but a little while, and he that ſhall come, will come, and will not tarry, verſ. 47. Chriſt is but gone to heaven to prepare, and then he will come again for you.

3. You have mean while good ſecurity for it: There are the many precious promiſes in the Book of God, engaging his faithfulneſs & truth, and power to the performance of it: you have the ſeal of the ſpirit for it, Who hath ſealed you to the day of Redemption, Eph. 4. 30. And you have all thoſe earneſts which are given in the inchoative felicity, which you have found, in thoſe taſts that you have had of the love of God in Chriſt, and all theſe are built upon a foundation of God, and in an eternal Decree, which muſt ſtand ſure, and what would you have more?

3. This glory is worth the waiting for: I am not able to tell you what it is, no, nor, if an Angel ſhould come and declare it to us, are we who dwell in mortal bodies, capable of underſtanding it: But this we may know, that it will recompence all our Faith and Patience, all our ſorrows and ſufferings; nay, all the ſufferings of this preſent life are not worthy of the Glory that ſhall be revealed: If it did appear, and our blear eyes could now look upon it without dazling, it would not be ſo great as it now is, which when it ſhall appear, will tranſport us with everlaſting admiration, that ſhall eccho back in eternal Hallelujahs.

p. 73But we know, that when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him.

Our Apoſtle having in the foregoing words endeavoured to ſatisfie thoſe whom he writes unto, in the reaſon why, Notwithſtanding they were ſons of God, and conſequently great heirs, their condition was at the preſent ſo obſcure, viz. Becauſe the time of their manifeſtation was not yet come, he proceeds in the reſt of this Verſ. to encourage and ſtrengthen their Faith in the conſideration of the Glory which ſhall in due time be revealed in them: It is q. d. Have patience, and tarry but a little while, and then you ſhall look like your ſelves, and have Glory enough to declare you unſpeakabley happy.

The words before us are an aſſertion concerning the future happineſs of God's Adopted Children, in which we may take notice of three things that are worthy of our diligent obſervation, viz. 1. The certainty and evidence of it, We know. 2. The time when it ſhall be; When he ſhall appear. 3. The nature of it, or that wherein it ſhall mainly conſiſt: We ſhall be like him. We may take up theſe in their order.

1. For the certaincy and evidence of it. We know. The word [foreign] ſignifies to know certainly; and the Apoſtle uſeth the word in oppoſition to an uncertain ghueſs or conjecture, p. 74by which a man doth but only probably ſuppoſe that the thing may be ſo.

Here obſerve,

1. The thing which he here aſſerts to be known, is the future glorious eſtates of the Sons of God: It is that condition which is reſerved for them, and unto which they ſhall in due time be brought, for his preſent diſcourſe properly relates unto what th…y ſhall be in the great Day.

2. Concerning this knowledge it is conſiderable.

1. That he clearly intimates the object to be a thing knowable, or that which hath its evidence, it is q. d. though what it ſhall be appears not plainly to us, yet that it ſhall be is out of the reach of doubting: Or, though we cannot underſtand it in its Latitude, yet we may diſcern its f…turity.

2. That he doth not Monopolize this knowledge to himſelf and the reſt of the Apoſtles, as though it were a peculiar priviledge to them, coming in a way of extraordinary revelation; but he makes it a common favour beſtowed upon the Children of God.

And hence,

Coming by ordinary means: He doth not ſay, I know it, and give you my teſtimony of it, which you may credit; but we know: you and I have the evidence of it in our ſelves, and ſuch p. 75grounds of certainty upon which we may ſafely draw this concluſion.

Hence,

Doct. As the future Glorious Eſtate of the Children of God is a thing certain in it ſelf, ſo it is that whereof they may alſo have a certain and infallible Knowledge.

Though they cannot tell how well it ſhall be with them, yet that it ſhall be well, they may know: That their is a remaining Glory, and that that Glory ſhall be theirs: Not only that their is a number of the Children of Men who ſhall be bleſſed in the eternal enjoyment of God in Chriſt, but that they alſo in particular are of that number: And this indeed is a main and eſſential part of a Believers preſent inchoative happineſs. that now he knows, and is firmly perſwaded of it, that he ſhall be happy for ever.

Knowledge is here oppoſed Negatively, or Privatively to ignorance, diſparately to opinion. And in the clearing up of this point, we may, 1. Conſider ſomething of the nature of knowledge in general, And then, 2. In particular evidence that our future happineſs comes within the reach of it.

1. Concerning Knowledge in general, we may obſerve, that the proper and ſuitable object p. 76of the underſtanding is Truth, in the ſearch and contemplation whereof it is imployed, and when it is ſo imployed, it is about its own work, and Truth being a property or affection of every being that is.

Hence,

The underſtanding applyes it ſelf to the ſearing of Truth in the things that be: Now theſe truths are either, ſimple and ſingle, ſuch as are the ſeveral affections, inclinations, and tendencies in things, which the underſtanding finds out and layes by themſelves, and whereby it is furniſhed for further diſcoveries: Or▪ elſe they are compound; when the underſtanding, diſcovering a ſubject, and having found out thoſe ſimple truths which concern it (or ſuppoſing it ſelf ſo to have done) it puts them together, and makes an Axiom, ſentence, aſſertion, or negation about them. Now there are various poſtures in which the underſtanding may ſtand to the things; and various affections in which the things may ſtand related one to another. I intend not the diſtinct producing of all that here might be ſaid on this account, but only ſo far as is to our preſent purpoſe.

1. Referring to the underſtanding: Sometimes it diſcernes not the ground of the compoſition, or relation of one thing to another.

And hence,

It can declare or conclude nothing at all about p. 77it; and this is that which we call ignorance. Sometimes this ignorance is attended with a fond apprehenſion that he doth ſee it; miſtaking, and confidently concluding it to be that which it is not; & this is properly Errour, which is bui… upon Ignorance accompanyed with an opinion▪ of knowledge. Sometimes he doth ſee or diſcern theſe differences, and is able to make a true Aphoriſme, or Declaration about them, and this is called Judgement; which is nothing elſe but a skill of putting ſimple Truths together, right as they ſhould be, and according to the natural and genuine relation they have each to the other ſo as to make them into a true concluſion.

2. Relating to the things themſelves: We muſt conſider that the reaſon of our compounding, or putting Truths together, is, from ſome connexion which there is, and appears to us to be between them: as when I ſee that there is a connexion betwen the nature of Man and Reaſon, my judgment thence compounds and concludes that Man is a reaſonable creature. Now theſe connexions are not all alike, ſome are tyed of a ſlip knot, or are ſo connected as they may eaſily be ſeparated; ſuch is the Relation between all contingent cauſes and effects, or only probable and conjectural antecedents and conſequents: as when we ſay, the diligent hand maketh rich▪ here is ſome rational connexion between▪ diligence and proſperity, but yet▪ there are ſo many p. 78caſualties in the over-ruling Providence of God, that may check aud over-bear this, that ſometimes it falls out that we labour in the fire for very nothing; ſow much and bring in little, and when we ſay it will be a fair day for the evening is red, though this be an ordinary ſymptom, yet it is no infallible preſage, it is oftentimes ſo, and ſometimes otherwayes: Now the judgement of theſe things is called Opinion, becauſe it is a concluſion that is drawn from reaſons which are only probable and contingent. But other connexions are tyed of a faſt knot; they flow from the very nature of the things, & are therefore neceſſarily predicated of the ſubject, and it cannot be without them: Such are all natural Cauſes and effects, as when we ſay the Sun ſhines, Man is a reaſonable Creature, &c. And the judgement of theſe things is that which we call Science or Knowledge: viz. When we diſcover, and conclude … neceſſary effects from neceſſary Cauſes, & neceſſary cauſes from neceſſary effects; now ſuch as this is, is that Knowledge which a Child of God may have of his future Glory.

Hence,

2. I come to make it evident in particular that our after happineſs may be thus known and there will need but theſe two things to be cleered for the proof of it: viz. 1. The happineſs of beleevers depends upon neceſſary cauſes.

p. 79And

2. That their ſanctified reaſon is capable of ſearching out and diſcovering the truth of theſe cauſes and ſo concluding infallibly.

1. That the happineſs of beleevers depends upon neceſſary cauſes: my meaning is, that there is ſuch a connexion between the Cauſes of Salvation, and Salvation it ſelf, that they cannot fail to bring it about, viz.

1. The immutable will of God purpoſing and reſolving of it: with this our Saviour encourageth his Diſciples, Luk. 12. 32. Fear not little flock it is your Fathers pleaſure to give you the Kingdome. The foundation of this happineſs was laid in Gods Decree; this is the Book of Life in which their Names were written; here began that everlaſting love, which is the cauſe and fountain of all the grace afterwards revealed: this is the writing that receives no blots; this is the Record that admits of no alterations; this is the foundation of God which ſtands ſure, having this ſeal, the Lord knows who are his: Hence we have Paul bringing down of this foreknowledge infallibly unto Glory, in that chain of his, Rom. 8. 29. 30.

3. The Redemption of Chriſt purchaſing and procuring of it for them: eternal Glory is one part of that purchaſe for which Jeſus Chriſt laid down that great price: and it was ſealed up to him in the Covenant of Redemption for p. 80thoſe whom he was to redeem; and this purchaſe is made ſure and ratified, and that not only in reſpect of the purchaſe it ſelf, for which he hath payed, and of which payment he hath received a full acquittance in his reſurrection, and is actually put in poſſeſſion, being aſcended up into Heaven, and there inveſted with the tenure and poſſeſs of the Crown of Glory; but alſo in reſpect of the perſons for whom it is bought, and on whom it is to be beſtowed. Hence Chriſt, ſpeaking of the Elect, declare that it was for their ſakes that he did that work, Joh. 17. 9. And profeſſeth that he had loſt none of thoſe whom his Father had given to him, verſ. 12.

Hence,

We read of purchaſed poſſeſſion, Eph. 1. 14. And an inheritance reſerved for us in the Heavens, 1 Pet. 1. 3. And of Chriſt willing that all of them ſhould be with him, Joh. 17. 24.

3. Unalterable promiſes made to them: Believers are ſaid to be heirs of the promiſe: They have great promiſes, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Eternal felicity comes within the compaſs of the promiſe which is made to them, Pſal. 84. 11. The Lord ſhall give Grace and Glory. Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth hath everlaſting life, and this promiſe is firm and ſtable; it is not a mutable thing, becauſe it is made by an immutable God, and it cannot fail becauſe uttered … the mouth of God p. 81that cannot lie. And from hence the Apoſtle argueth the neceſſity of our felicity, in Heb. 6. 17, 18.

4. Infallible Conditions; ſuch as are neceſſary, not only foreign or univerſally, as Joh. 3. 36. Whoſoever believeth, &c. But alſo foreign reciprocally, as Mar. 16. 16. He that believes ſhall be ſaved, he that believes not ſhall be damned. When therefore God worketh theſe conditions in the ſouls of any; when he ſanctifieth the means to become unfailing helps to Faith, and bring the Soul to repent and believe in Chriſt, that foundation is laid, that ſhall aſpire to foreign building unmoveable: this is to be built upon the Rock, Mat. 7. 24, 25. This is a ſeed which, when …own, is immortal and abiding; theſe gifts and callings are without repentance.

5. Powerful and unfailing aſſiſtance: They are ſaid to be in God's, and in Chriſt's hand; and, as it is certain that they will not throw them out, ſo it is equally certain that no other can pluck them out: There are thoſe indeed who do attempt it, but in vain, Joh. 10. 27, 28. God's Omnipotency is the Garriſon or guard to which they are committed, on purpoſe that they may enjoy Salvation, 1 Pet. 1. 5. Ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation. They are given to Chriſt and he hath commended them to the care and keeping of his ſpirit, and he ſeals them up to the day of Redemption, Eph, 4. 30.

p. 822. The Believers ſanctified reaſon is capable of ſearching ont and diſcovering the truth of theſe cauſes, and ſo to conclude infallibly. The evidence of this aſſertion will then be plain, when we have conſidered.

1. That there are ſuch effects of theſe cauſes wrought in the ſouls of all the Children of God, as are peculiar and proper to them, there is that done in and for every Child of God, which is wrought in and for no other in the world. Proper effects are undeceiving evidences of their cauſes. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of things that accompany Salvation, Heb. 6. 9. There is a faith which is the faith of Gods Elect, Tit. 1. 1. There is a vocation which is linked faſt unto following glory, Rom. 8. 29, 30. There is a knowledge of God in Chriſt, which is Eternai life, Joh. 17. 3. There is a ſealing of the ſpirit which confirmes everlaſting happineſs to us, Eph. 4. 30. There is an earneſt now given by which God confirmes the title of the Inheritance to the Souls of his People, Eph. 1. 14.

2. That theſe effects are diſcernable and legible, and that not only by ſpecial revelation, but alſo in a rational way of arguing and inferring. If this were not a truth, then all ſuch Scriptureprecepts as put us upon this duty, of ſelf-examination in reſpect of our ſpiritual eſtate, were in vain, and meerly ſuper…luous. It is true, the law puts us upon duties impoſſible to fallen man, p. 83and this courſe God uſeth with us, to make us know our need of Chriſt: But the Goſpel puts Believers upon nothing but what may be done: Now this is made the Believers duty, in divers Goſpel-reſpects, 2 Pet. 1. 10. 2 Cor. 13. 5. 1. Cor. 11. 28. Nay, why ſhould the Goſpel propound Rules of tryal to us, if there were no diſcovery to be made by the application of them? Of what uſe is a Touch-ſtone to us, if by applying of it, we could not be able to make diſcovery what Mettle is genuine, and what is deceitful?

3. That every Child of God is furniſhed f… this diſcovery: He hath an habitual power in him, and ſufficient help afforded unto him for the diſcerning theſe effects.

For,

1. The effects themſelves are manifeſtly diſtinguiſhable from the common Graces of Moral Men, and the counterfeit graces of hypocrites, though they may have ſome reſemblance, yet there are differencing notes, 1 Joh. 3. 10. In this the Children of God are manifeſt, and the Children of the Devil.

2. Every Child of God hath a conſcience whereby he is able to reflect upon himſelf to take a Survey of his own actions, to ſee what is in him, and to compare it by the rule, and to judge of it accordingly. Hence,

We ſhall find Paul making an appeal to the p. 84Teſtimony of his own Conſcience, 2 Cor. 1▪ 12.

3. The Spirit of God dwels in the underſtanding and conſcience of every Believer, to ill… minate it, and to give it a judgement, and di… cerning of ſpiritual things, 1 Cor. 2. 10, 14. an… this is a common priviledge of all Believers, the… have all of them the indwelling ſpirit to hel… them in their work.

4. The Spirit of Adoption is alſo a witne… in a Child of God, to confirm and ratifie th… the teſtimony which his Conſcience gives i… …ncerning the premiſes, whence there are tw… …bſtantial witneſſes to the ſame truth.

Hence,

He is ſaid to bear witneſs with our ſpirits▪ Rom. 8▪ 16.

4. By the diſcovery of theſe preſent effects h… is infallibly aſſured that he ſhall inherit Glor… hereafter. A ſtate of Grace, and of Glory, hav… but their gradual differences: Grace is Glory begun, Glory is Grace finiſhed or perfected Grace is the ſeed whereof glory is the genuin… Fruit: Grace, if it dy not, will bring forth glory undoubtedly; but it cannot dy, being an immortal ſeed, and abiding. True grace is a ſpring that never ceaſeth flowing till it reach eterna… Life, Joh. 4. 14. Paul counts it a good argument, and that the inferrence will hold, that i… God hath begun, he will alſo perfect the good p. 85work, Phil. 1. 6. God cannot call back his grace▪ for it is without repentance, Rom. 11. 29. Heb. 13. 5. The Believer cannot renounce nor reject it, for God will not ſuffer him to depart away from him, Ezek. 36. 27. The Devil and all his inſtruments cannot rob him of it, becauſe they cannot pluck him out of Chiſt's hand, Joh. 10. 29. And when we have …aid all theſe things together, Judge now whither this doth not amount to that which may truly and properly be called knowledge, viz, a Judgement of certainty about our everlaſting felicity.

USE▪ I. Here we ſee one Reaſon why many of the Children of God bear all the changes of the life with ſo much quietneſs and tranquillity; it lyes here, becauſe they have grounded expectations of future glory. The Men of the World wonder at them; yea, ſcoff and flout, and take them for mad Men, to feed their fancyes and hopes with unſeen things, and therefore (in their opinion) the greateſt uncerteintyes. Truly, if the hopes of the Children of God were grounded in opinion, and depended upon meer contingencyes, I cannot ſee how their life ſhould not be the moſt perplexed ſorrowful and miſerable of all men; for if, after they have left all for Chriſt, it were yet a thing dubitable whether they ſhould ever ſee and enjoy him in glory, they have indeed nothing left them to lean the weight of their confidence upon: But this is p. 86their felicity in the midſt of all turns, that ſtill their main intereſt in eternity is ſecured: And this indeed is the very thing which declares them to be the only happy Men: All other Men live by meer opinion, theſe only are the men of knowledge: Other men know not certeinly what it is that they labour for, nor what ſhall be the event of all their pains and cares; but theſe men know that their labour is not in vain, and that there will be a good end of all their troubles and pains. As to the things of this life, and with reſpect to ſubordinate ends, the Children of God labour under equal uncerteintyes with other men; Eccl. 9. begin: All things fall out alike to all. And verſ. 11. Time and chance happeneth to them all. They are not ſure to proſper in their Eſtates, to enjoy health, and long life, and eaſe in this World: But as to their laſt end, and the concurrent tendency of all means to it, here they have good ſecurity, and this makes them patient in tribulation, quiet under ſoreſt afflictions: Thus we find Paul argues himſelf into patience and chearfulneſs, 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18, & 5. 1. If Storms; nay, Hurrycanes ariſe in their Voyage, yet they are not amazed, for they know who is Pilot, and where they ſhall certein…y Arrive; if they loſe all they have in this World, yea and life it ſelf, yet becauſe they cannot loſe glory, they are not filled with conſternation: For though they cannot tell what that glory ſhal p. 87be, yet they know that it ſhall be glory, and ſuch as God himſelf ſhal give (that God who doth all things like himſelf) and they are ſatisfied that this ſhall be enough to fill you with everlaſting joyes.

USE II. We hence learn how vain are all the attempts of the enemyes of God's Children, wherein they ſeek to make them miſerabe, or to diſcourage them in the ſervice of God. It is true, if their felicity were grounded in contingency, the Saints enemies might have ſome probable hopes to undermine and blow them up; but thoſe that fight againſt the truth ſhall not be able to prevail. That Rock on which the happineſs of the Sons of God is built, lyes too deep for all the endeavours of their enemyes to undermine: That truth, that no Child of God ſhal ever be loſt, that no weapon that is formed againſt them ſhall ever proſper, that the foundations of the World ſhall ſooner be ſhaken, the Pillars of the Earth faulter, crack, and crumble in pieces, than they fail of eternal felicity is unchangeable, he that will keep a Child of God from Heaven and happineſs, muſt make void the everlaſting purpoſes of an unchangeable God, violate the eternal Covenant of Redemption, diſanul Gods firm and undeciveable promiſes, kill the immortal ſeed of grace, overcome the Omnipotent Spirit of God: Till all this can be done, the Believers well-being ſtands ſecure▪ p. 88which whiles Men and Devils are contriving and endeavouring, he may ſtand ſtill and ſmile at their bold and impoſſible undertakings; and whiles his hope is built, and his eye fixt upon theſe ſtrong Pillars, it is as vain for them to think to ſcare or terryfie him.

I confeſs, if God ſhould hide his face, and with-draw the light of his Countenance, and leave him but a while to combate diffidence and doubting, his Spirit is eaſily overwhelmed: But if God ſtand by▪ and give him the advantage to live in this light▪ his evidence is ſo good, and his knowledge ſo firmly grounded, that all which can be done againſt him, will but help to confirm him. Lightly grounded opinions may eaſily be confuted, by as probable contradictions; but firmly fixed principles, and clear evidences of Divine knowledge, are not ſhaken by the greateſt contradiction of ſinners: Such is the perſwaſion that a Child of God hath of his love to him, that he is withal fully perſwaded that all which can be done againſt it cannot diſſolve it, Rom. 8. 37, 38, 39.

And hence,

Nothing will prejudice them againſt God and his ſervice; nothing will turn them out of their way of duty and obedience to God, becauſe they are not labouring for uncerteintyes, or looking for things that may not be; they live not upon deceivable hopes, they know whom p. 89they have truſted, and that he is able: to keep that which they have committed unto him to the day of the Lord; and therefore are they not weary nor faint, as thoſe that know that in due time they ſhal reap if they faint not: and though their enemyes may take away their comforts of Life, deprive them of their Eſtates, of their good name among men, of their liberty, yea of their lives too, yet, becauſe they know they cannot rob them of their glory, therefore are they reſolved in their way, and will be faithful unto death.

USE. III. For Exhortation to the Children of God, in two Leſſons.

1. Study much for this knowledge: The wiſe man's aſſertion, Light is ſweet, is true of material light, much more of ſpiritual; and there is never a ray of it which brings more of delight with it, than that which diſcovers unto us our names written in Heaven: The Philoſopher could ſay, a little knowledge, and that conjectural (which deſerves not the title of knowledge) in heavenly things, is to be preferred before a great deal, and that certein, in earthly things: And yet were his thoughts bounded on this ſide of the third heaven: But here we have the beſt and ſureſt knowledge, the cleareſt and moſt demonſtrable light is to be had of the things of eternity. Man's nature inclines him to love knowledge in general; let grace rectifie nature, p. 90and employ you in the diſquiſition of theirs, the knowledge whereof can be no leſs than inchoative happineſs. Of all knowledge, that which concerns our ſelves is the moſt profitable, and of our ſelves, that which informes us about our eternity is the moſt deſirable: The ſouls immortality is diſcovered by a beam of nat…res light, the happineſs of ſome, and miſery of others in their immortality is evident by Scripture revelation; the uncerteinty of our preſent condition here, is known by conſtant experience: He therefore, and only he can enjoy ſolid comfort, who hath an hope grounded in knowledge that it ſhall at laſt go well with him.

…. Make uſe of this knowledge to eſtabliſh your hearts againſt all the evils, and threatned dangers of this preſent life. The e…couragement in our Text, as we have heard, is accommodated by our Apoſtle to the dayes of Antichriſt, that he might confirm true Believers, by the conſideration of their ſonſhip to a reſolute ſtanding by the ſincere profeſſion of Chriſt; and maintenance of an holy life. Their Godlineſs is the great quarrel which the world have againſt the Children of God: Their preſent Sonſhip, and future glory known, is the great relief they have againſt the Temptations of ſuch an hour: This knowledge is practical, and the ſtrength of the practice is the being much in exerciſe of Faith, of which the Apoſtle gives▪ that encomine p. 91Heb. 11. That it is the evidence of things not ſeen. His meaning is, that it makes thoſe future things ſo plain as if they were preſent, and gives in ſuch demonſtrations of them, that there is no room to call the truth into queſtion. Let the Children of God fear nothing but ſin; for all other things …mend them to God, and your Souls with the… in wel-doing. If you look only upon the revolutions of times, and changes of this lower World, theſe things may be too intricate for your underſtanding to reſolve: Their tracing of the motion o… the wheels of Providence may be too high and hard for you: But if now you do but look foreward as far as Eternity, and take a view of the concerns of that future life (where indeed your great concerns ly) here you may read Lectures of conſolation to your own ſouls; and, knowing▪ and being aſſured that after a troubleſome way the latter end ſhall be peace, your hearts may be fixt truſting in the Lord.

When he ſhall appear.

The ſecond thing here aſſerted concerning the happineſs of the Children of God, is the time when it ſhall be compleated: When he ſhall appear. There being an Ellypſis in the Words, it hath occaſioned divers interpretations, for there is no mention made of the ſubject appearing.

p. 92Hence,

Some refer it to the foregoing words, what we ſhall be, and read it, when it ſhall appear, and ſo leave the time indefinite; and yet ſo it intimates thus much, viz. There will be a time when Gods Children ſhall appe… like themſelves; others refer it to [Him] … their following words, and read it (as our tranſlation) when he ſhall appear, and expound it of Jeſus Chriſt, and make it parallel to, and interpreted by that of Paul, in Col. 3. 4. When Chriſt, who is our life ſhall appear, we ſhall appear with him in Glory. We have an Ellypſis like this, in Pſal. 87. 1. His foundation is in the holy hills, clearly intimating God. In the Text it is, if he ſhall appear [foreign] and if we ſo read it, we are not to take if for an [If] of doubting, but only of ſuppoſing and connecting; q. d. If Chriſt ſhall ever appear glorious, then ſhall Believers too; or, there is as great a certeinty of this as of that: but we may obſerve that is a frequent Helleniſme to put [If] for [When] and ſo the moſt of interpreters take it in this place, and accordingly▪ we may look upon the words as determining the very time wherein the Children of God ſhall be made viſibly to appear what they are, in the ſtate and glory which God hath appointed them unto, viz. The appearance of Jeſus Chriſt. Hence, p. 93Doct. When Jeſus Chriſt ſhall appear in his Glory, then the Children of God ſhall alſo appear in theirs.

Though for the preſent they walk in a diſguiſe, and ly hid from the knowledge of the World, yet when Chriſt ſhall come to make himſelf known in his Majeſty, then ſhall he alſo diſplay, and make known the happy eſtate of all thoſe that have title to his Redemption.

Here we may Conſider,

1. What is this appearing of Chriſt, of which the Apoſtle ſpeaks?

2. Wherein the Believers bleſſedneſs ſhall then be made to appear?

3. What appearing of Chriſt John here intends?

Anſ. There hath been an old errour, and of which E…ſebius makes Cerinthus (that blaſphemous Heretick) the Author, who lived in the time of the Apoſtle John, and againſt whom he is ſuppoſed to have written his Goſpel; which is more accommodable to the Turkiſh Alchoran, then the Chriſtian confeſſion of Faith, which (as the Jews of old, interpreted all old Teſtament propheſies of the Meſſiah, of a worldly Kingdom, pomp and glory, and a temporal deliverance from the yoak of the Roman p. 94Empire) puts a carnal interpretation upon many paſſages in Scripture, and then concludes of Chriſt's coming in the fleſh into the lower world, and ſetting up a Kingdom here below, bearing date for a thouſand years, in which the Saints ſhal poſſeſs the Earth, and, with great outward pomp, carnal pleaſures, and voluptuouſneſs, reign over, and have command of the ungodly, in which they ſhall enjoy all manner of ſenſual delights; the very naming of which oppinion is ſufficient confutation, it ſmels ſo much of the fleſh, and ſavours ſo much of vanity: And that it hath found ſo many abettors in theſe laſt ages, is an argument that the world grows old and doting. Mundus ſeneſcens patitur phantaſias. There is another apprehenſion, which hath gained many learned and Godly Men for its Patrons, who, ſuppoſing many texts of Scripture to ſpeak without trope or Allegory, do thereon conclude it at leaſt probable, that before the Reſurrection of the wicked and ungodly, there ſhall be a firſt Reſurrection of the Juſt, wherein Jeſus Chriſt, coming to Judgement, ſhal openly acquit, and make to reign with him in this lower world, all his Elect and Redeemed ones, for the ſpace of a thouſand years; after which ſhall follow the general Reſurrection of his Enemyes, and the final iſſu… and determination of all thoſe great affairs, when Chriſt ſhal return to Heaven and his Saints with p. 95him. Whether it ſhal be thus or otherwiſe, the day ſhal determine: All which I dare ſay of it, is, that it hath no ſuch evidence in the word of God, as to make it a neceſſary point of Faith, is attended with ſo many knots and intricacies, as are hard if not impoſſible by us at preſent to be reſolved; and whatſoever there is that may be alledged for the ſupporting of it, is capable of a fair ſolution according to the Scripture dialect, and thereby reducable either to Chriſt's firſt coming in the fleſh, the ſtate of the New Teſtament in general, or the glorious ſtate of the Triumphant Church in the Eternal Kingdom; as divers learned and Orthodox have judiciouſly made to appear.

But to avoid controverſies, and take up with things agreed on: There are two comings of Chriſt peculiarly celebrated in the Goſpel; his coming in a ſtate of Humiliation, and his coming in a ſtate of glory to Judge the World; Which latter is accordingly called his ſecond coming, Heb. 9. 28. He ſhall appear the ſecond time.

As Chriſt was once ſeen here in great meanneſs, and was deſpiſed, ſo he ſhal be ſeen even by his Enemies in great glory, and every knee ſhal bow to him; He ſhal come in the glory of his Father, and he ſhal come to Judge the world, Act. 17. 31. 2 Tim. 4. 1. This is the appearing of which our Apoſtle here ſpeaketh: Chriſt p. 96was now gone to Heaven, but he was to come again, and when that ſhal be, then alſo ſhal the Saints manifeſtation be: Of this he ſpeaks, and with it he encourageth them to confidence Cap. 2. 28. Abide in him, that when he ſhall appear we may have confidence, and not be aſhamed before him at his coming.

In what year▪ and day this appearance of Chriſt ſhal commence is not for us to know; the Father hath kept times and ſeaſons in his own hands: but that it is not far off, and will▪ in a ſhort time come to paſs, is certain: They are the laſt times, and a great part of them too is worn out, and therefore it will not be long, There are yet ſome propheſies unaccompliſhed, which in Gods good time ſhal ſhortly be fulfilled, and then that day cometh: Then ſhal the Sons of God be ſeen and known, they ſhal look then like themſelves, and be made to appear no more like ſervants, but like Sons indeed.

2. Wherein the Believers bleſſedneſs ſhal then be made to appear.

Anſ. They ſhal not only themſelves know their own happineſs nor only their fellow-glorified Saints and Angels be made acquainted with it, but the World ſhal ſee and know it; their enemies ſhal ſee it and be confounded at it: Wicked men & devils ſhal behold their glory ſo far as to know them to be moſt happy, Mic. 7. 10. Then ſhe that is mine enemy ſhall ſee it, viz. When God p. 97brings her forth to the light as ver. 9. which diſcovery will be made in theſe things.

1. The Children of God [the Lambs Wife] ſhall in the morning of the Reſurrection be dreſt up in glorious Splendor, and prepared to meet with Jeſus Chriſt [her Spouſe] the Soul (already made perfect in heavenly glory) ſhall be reunited to its body, which ſhall leave all imperfections in the Grave, and be adorned with all ſuch perfections as ſhal render it conſpicuouſly glorious: Paul gives us a very notable deſcription of it, 1 Cor, 15. 42, 43, 44. Its ſpirituality, immortality, incorruptibility; its power, its glory ſhal then be reſplendent: they ſhal riſe in the ſtate of the Sons of God, they ſhal not look any more like abjects, be like dearly beloved Children, being filled with perfect beauty, comelineſs, ſplendor, Mat. 13. 43. Then ſhall the Righteous ſhine forth as the Sun, in the Kingdome of the Father. The dazling luſtre of the Sun is but a dark ſhadow of the brightneſs of the bodies of the Saints in the Reſurrection: the Church ſhall then look like a Bride indeed, when it is trimmed up in all its Ornaments of Soul and Body in a ſtate of ſhining perfection. Rev. 21. 2. Prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband.

2. There ſhall be an happy meeting in the air, in the morning of that day, between Chriſt and his thus adorned Spouſe, where they ſhall p. 98meet him, as in the quality of a great judge, ſo as their Friend, their Husband, their Saviour, coming to finiſh and compleat their Salvation, and take them home to himſelf: they ſhall meet him who is the beloved of their Souls, whom they have longed for, whom they have often prayed to make haſt, and whoſe appearance they have loved. And the ſtate in which he ſhall come will add to their glorious manifeſtation; all that pompous attendance of Angels, thoſe ten thouſand times ten thouſands, and thouſands of thouſands of miniſtring Spirits waiting upon Chriſts coming to fetch home his Spouſe, ſhall reflect upon them to ſhew how bleſſed they are: ſee 1 Pet. 4. 16, 17. and that glorious coming of Chriſt, Dan. 7. 9, 10.